Kingdom Hearts III: One Sky
by R.J. Eastwood
Summary: The most dangerous fight in all of Sora's life is about to begin. Between finding those scattered by the darkness and fighting new baddies from across the worlds, he has his work cut out for him. SoraxKairi, NaminexRoxas, AquaxTerra, and more...
1. Prologue: One Sky

**A/N: Not my first KH fic, but my first attempt at a longer KH epic. I'll try to adhere to the known canon, but please remember this is a speculative KHIII fic written before details of Dream Drop Distance were released. Please enjoy the read everyone!**

**Parings:**

**SoraxKairi (back yaoi fangirls, back you savages!)**

**RoxasxNamine (Back I say!)**

**AquaxTerra (because its dramatic, but in a good way)**

**And others will be hinted at. Expect Final Fantasy cameos, re-appearances, and special guests courtesy of Square Enix and Disney.**

**Prologue: One Sky**

A single man, beaten and weary, stood amidst a sea of pure white crystal. Like jagged vines, the crystals grew from the surface that enclosed the lone occupant. It was a strange, mirror image of every landscape he'd ever seen. There was the thick, tall forests of one world, the reaching deserts of another world, and the sparkling ocean that lapped at the snow-white beach of yet another world. Each was a treasure to the Realm of Light, each a far off memory of a scattered dream.

Slowly, the lone occupant of the mysterious realm raised his gloved hands. The Black Coat that he wore over his bronze and silver armor was torn and filthy. Blood stained its edges, while others were charred by magical flame. Beneath the tattered coat, his Keyblade Armor glistened despite its many scratches, cracks, and dents.

He remained motionless, as if lost in concentration. The ground he stood on was at the epicenter of the pale colored world. Beneath his feet, a clear barrier separated him from a column of light made of spinning gears of what looked to be glass. Embraced within the churning gears, a large sphere of pure light pulsed like a heart — steady, deep, and warm.

The beating orb's rhythm gave the large chamber a sense of peace. That very peace was soon shattered when a fiery explosion blew away a very large crystal that acted as a wall to the chamber.

Arms still raised, the man draped in damaged armor flicked his wrists. Flashes of light filled his now balled hands, as weapons in the shape of keys filled his palms. His covered head lowered, as light glinted off of his visor and the bronze ears that split into three prongs, like a crown.

"Kalani!" A voice thundered through the once tranquil chamber. Against the gentle glow of the crystals and the embers of the explosion, this new person was but a shadow.

The man who bore two keyblades looked up at the one who called out to him. When he met the golden gaze of his new opponent, time slowed to a crawl.

_Thinking of you, wherever you are._

_We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend._

Bearing speed like lightning, the one cloaked in shadow charged Kalani with a keyblade of his own. Fiercely, they parried and dodged each blow with gravity defying movements, and moved with fluidity like a steady stream.

The sharp sound of keyblade meeting keyblade constantly rattled the crystals of their surroundings. The shadowy attacker rolled around Kalani's first keyblade, and lashed out with a swift swing powered by a black force. The strong blow was brushed aside by Kalani's second keyblade, while the first was well on its way to retaliate.

Again and again, the wielders of the keyblade struggled to overpower the other. It was not long before their contest of swordplay gave way to a contest of magic. Kalani was the first to call upon the swift power of Thunder. Thundaga lightning descended from the sky like a pouncing viper, and slammed into the ground with the force of a bull.

The wearer of shadows rolled out of the lightning's path before summoning the power of Blizzaga's frost. A freezing wind followed the swipe of his hand, and sharp shards of ice flew out towards Kalani.

_Now I will step forward to realize this wish._

The battle raged for hours. Neither party yielded to the attacks of the other. Their skills with the legendary weapon and magic were perfectly even, but Kalani knew his time was short.

He clashed with his opponent one last time, and allowed the shadowed keybearer to glare into his visor. He then dismissed his helm, and allowed it to fade like cloth lit aflame. Soon, his face was revealed to have a gentle, caring smile.

The shadowed keybearer faltered at the tender gaze.

In a display of mastery and supremacy, he flung his opponent's keyblade from his hands, and dismissed all three keyblades involved in their battle. He embraced the one cloaked in darkness.

"Kalani." The cloak of shadows fell from the attacker's face, revealing a face of fare skin streaked with tears. Eyes of gold glistened with cascading liquid pearls, as short, dark hair clung to a feminine face coated with sweat. "Please," she went to return his embrace, "don't do this."

The moment her fingertips touched Kalani's back, he leaped backwards. He landed softly above the pillar of light, and his gentle smile grew. He raised his arms once more, as she tried to run towards him. With a flick of his wrists, a strong flash of light threw his former opponent backwards.

When the light faded, Kalani's empty hands were filled by one, enormous keyblade. It was made of two Kingdom Keys intersected with their teeth pointed outwards. A solid blade protruded from where the keyblades intersected, below a lacework at the center of the keyblade. The x-blade, a weapon that ignited enough lust to start wars.

"Kalani, no!" She reached out to him, as he raised the heavy keyblade into the air. The outline of a keyhole appeared at his feet, as Kalani stared down into the core of the Realm of Light, the epicenter of Kingdom Hearts.

_And who knows:_

_starting a new journey may not be so hard,_

_or maybe it has already begun._

Kalani drove the x-blade into the keyhole, and allowed his face to relax. All the weight on his heart was lifted, as he accepted his fate. He knew his actions would cause much pain, and maybe even lead to darkness plaguing the lives of many people. However, he knew that someone will rise to finish what he could not.

His heart, ready to depart into realms unknown, suddenly felt warm. Lips were gently pressed against his, as a heart tied to his wished him farewell.

_There are many worlds, but they share the same sky —_

_one sky, one destiny._

"... Sora."

And with an explosion that shook the entire universe, Kingdom Hearts was sealed, and the Worlds divided.

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**A/N: Okay, started off with two OCs, but don't worry, their involvement isn't very big. Important, but not big. The Hawaiian name "Kalani" means "sky", just like Sora is "sky" in Japanese.**

**Next chapter: Dream Drop Distance**

"The Mark of Mastery Exam is progressing smoothly"

"Something's wrong Master Yen Sid!"

_I come to see if you are the sky that binds all worlds_


	2. Dream Drop Distance

A/N: Second chapter, please enjoy!

Chapter 01: Dream Drop Distance

Sora was no stranger to tests and dangers that pushed his limits when it came to the Keyblade. From the moment he landed upon the first station in the Dive Into the Heart, he's been thrown against some of the largest, darkest, and baddest foes every dreamed up by the darkness.

In a matter of two years, he's been thrust from his island home and tasked with hopping from one new world to the next. He's had to fight his oldest friend to try and save the girl he'd give his heart for. In fact, he did give his heart up for the girl, but only after she gave _her_ heart to him. He's been turned into a Heartless, forced to brave the deepest bowels of darkness, and passed up a chance to return home with the one who he'd give his heart up a second time to save.

You'd think that would be enough to test the boy. No, destiny did not seem to find it adequate enough. No, then Sora had to encounter a gang of scheming, heartless nobodies (literally) that wanted to toy with his memories and his heart. But even then, Sora ended up saving the girl and eventually his own skin... only to be put to sleep. Had enough yet destiny?

To respond with a big, fat "no", destiny then introduced the nobody of this boy Sora. Roxas would be the vessel to wake Sora up and rebuild his memories, thus thrusting Sora back onto the playing board as a knight of the Realm of Light once more.

Cue more world hopping and hunting down the remains of the heartless nobodies (again, being literal here), and looking for his oldest friend who he lost to the darkness. Old friends and new friends helped him along the way, until he finally came face-to-face with an army of Heartless 1000 strong.

Now with over 50,000 Heartless served since 2005, Sora went on to storm the castle of his antagonizers. Why? Well, on top of saving the Realm of Light, finding his lost friend, and being the hero he is, he was storming the castle to rescue the girl he thought was safe at home.

Nobodies were beaten, friends were found, and a girl was firmly hugged before Sora finally faced the architect of all his recent headaches. Joining with his friends, he defeated the gang of nobodies, smashed the artificial Kingdom Hearts, and saved the Realm of Light from being under the rule of a heartless nobody who hardly remembered _why_ he was so obsessed with Kingdom Hearts.

Alright destiny, has Sora proved himself yet?

Well, judging from the fact that he was running along the rooftops of Traverse Town being chased by a breed of Heartless he did not recognize, he decided that answer was a third, big, fat, sadistic "no"!

"How many times does a guy have to save the Realm of Light before he gets the title of Keyblade Master?" Sora leaped over a chimney and summoned his Kingdom Key to dispel a flying Heartless that managed to catch up to him. He turned on his heel and threw his keyblade into the pack of shadowy beings thirsting for his heart.

The Strike Raid easily sent his foes back into the darkness, allowing Sora a moment of peace. He plopped down heavily upon the chimney he recently jumped over and looked into the night sky of Traverse Town.

Honestly, the Mark of Mastery Exam hadn't been too difficult for him so far. Granted, he had to travel to worlds he'd been to and new worlds alike to collect items that symbolized his bond to the friends he'd made. To him, it was no different than getting keychains in his earlier travels. That was his first test.

His second test was more mysterious, but Sora suspected it had a lot to do with Xemnas. He'd seen the powerful Nobody multiple times, as he traveled the worlds to suppress the Heartless. It was no more than his shadow and the haunting echo of his laughter, but Sora felt the effect all of the same.

He was in the midst of facing the source of his fear.

The idea made sense. He still had nightmares about his fight with Xemnas — Riku at his side. So many things could have gone wrong during that fight, far more than his battle against Xehanort's Heartless. He could have lost his heart, lost Riku to the darkness, and lost Kairi forever. The Realm of Light could've fallen under the control of a Nobody bent on finding his own meaning. It would have been chaos, a campaign of misery for all the worlds he fought so hard to protect.

Sora continued to meditate on where he was in his life, while two others contemplated his performance. Far away from the remains of Traverse Town, Master Yen Sid and King Mickey Mouse watched Sora and Riku from the Mysterious Tower.

Master Yen Sid ran his thin fingers through his thick beard, as he watched the two young keybearers. His small pupils focused on Sora with interest before he gave a pleased hum. "Good, very good."

"Master?" Mickey looked away from the image of Riku cutting his way through an alley in the Third District of Traverse Town. He fixed his master with a confused stare before looking at Sora. "Looks like Sora's taking a break." He laughed a little, but his smile faded when he saw the serious look on Sora's face.

The aged sorcerer nodded his head when he saw his old apprentice realized the truth. "Sora has arrived at a crossroads." He waved his hand to summon the illusion that haunted Sora. "He feels the weight of his destiny, and now he must choose to face it with the full strength of his heart."

The king of Disney Castle looked upon a Sora he did not fully recognize. "I don't understand Master." His eyes grew sympathetic. "Sora's faced every challenge without hesitation or fear." He looked to his master, "Why now?"

Master Yen Sid leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "I have had a hand in this." He snapped open his eyes when he felt the phantom of Xemnas appear near Sora. "By making Sora the only person able to see and hear this replica of Xemnas, I have tested the source of his light, the origin of his strength and courage."

"His friends." Mickey quickly recalled what Sora credited his strength to.

Yen Sid nodded, "Yes, but a Keyblade Master needs more than the direct support of his friends." A hint of sadness passed through his usually stoic face. "Sometimes, we must face the darkness alone, but we must remember that the bonds of our heart stretch beyond any distance."

The keyblade bearing mouse nodded his head solemnly. He hated forcing Sora to face such a terrible foe alone, but he knew Yen Sid was right. This was the next stage of Sora's growth, and the keyblade needed to see him achieve it. "And Riku, Master?" He looked to the other bubble that showed Riku reaching the First District of Traverse Town.

"Riku must find his dreams once more." Master Yen Sid shook his head sadly at the thought of Riku. "Losing himself to the darkness left scars that still haunt him."

"Do you think he has a chance of showing the mark?" Mickey asked hopefully. Between the two young keybearers, he spent more time with Riku. The time spent with him caused Mickey to feel a strong friendship with the young man. He was proud of Riku for controlling his darkness, and mastering the weaknesses of his heart. "He's grown so much over the past two years."

Yen Sid expressed his agreement with a tilt of his head. "Indeed, and he has proven himself capable of using the keyblade for the side of light." He observed Riku confront the illusion of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. "He has a chance, and I am confident he will show the mark."

There was a pause between the two before Yen Sid spoke again. "But," he saw Mickey look at him, "he is not fated to open the door."

"But Sora already opened the Door to Light." Mickey looked confused.

"It is not simply the Door to Light that needs to be opened my dear friend." Yen Sid stood up from his chair and walked over to the large bookshelf. He waved his hand and summoned a large tome from the bookcase and set it before Mickey. "For this journey, we are not trying to stop the creation of Kingdom Hearts, but the creation of the x-blade."

Mickey took the tome from Yen Sid and set it down heavily at his side. "I know, but what does that have to do with anything Master?" He looked up into the eyes of the old sorcerer and immediately recognized the look in his eyes. "You've seen something, something ominous."

"Read the book." Yen Sid gave the simple order as a reply and returned to his seat. "I will let you be the guide during this next journey. It is the next step for you to take as a bearer of the keyblade."

The Mysterious Tower grew silent, as Sora and Riku's progress consumed their full attention. Riku was nearing his confrontation with Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, and Sora was once again on the move.

Sora leaped down from the rooftops of the Traverse Town hotel and landed just in front of the mansion that once housed the 101 Dalmations. He took a careful step forward and looked around. His senses were screaming that something was wrong — like being surrounded by darkness. It was thick, heavy, and consuming.

"A world forever draped in night, perpetually suspended between the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness." A calm, deep voice gently severed the silence of the night.

Keyblade appearing in hand, Sora whipped around and looked up at the levitating form of Xemnas. He was wearing his Black Coat, the signature of the former Organization XIII. His eyes were focused skywards, and his arms were folded.

"Perhaps this world would have served me better." Xemnas lowered his gaze to Sora. "Wouldn't you agree?" He spoke as if to an old friend, a level of familiarity that made Sora's spine run cold. The illusion of Xemnas chuckled at the expression on Sora's face.

"What's so funny!" Sora demanded. He pointed his Kingdom Key at the illusion, "and stop talking like we're friends." He glared at Xemnas, and prepared himself to charge.

Xemnas snorted and unfolded his arms. "Sora," he said slowly, "why are you in such a rush to perish?" He spread his arms in a wide gesture, "I simply want us to become familiar with each other, before we journey into the darkness together."

"You're delusional!" Sora lunged at Xemnas and aimed his key at Xemnas's face. The Organization's former architect chuckled and leaned out of the path of Sora's strike. "Take this!" Sora crouched low and lashed out anew, this time using speed akin to his Valor Form.

The Organization's leader raised his hand and ignited the blade of light he was most famous for. The Kingdom Key impacted Xemnas's chosen weapon with a hiss, but held firm against the legendary weapon. "The more you struggle," he pushed Sora back and formed a barrier of light to throw him down into the lower street, "the darker your heart grows."

Sora threw his Keyblade, a Strike Raid aimed for Xemnas's chest. He called back the Kingdom Key when Xemnas dodged and descended to bring his blades down upon Sora's head. He blocked both swords of light and pushed up against Xemnes's pressing strength. "What do you know about my heart!"

"Far more than you realize." Xemnas spoke low and slow, like running a knife along Sora's skin. He leaped up suddenly, and smirked when Sora stumbled at the sudden loss of pressure. "Won't you dive into the dark with me Sora?" Xemnas offered his hand.

"Nope," Sora smiled broadly at Xemnas, "have too many friends in the light." He assumed his crouched stance. "Besides, I've been to the Realm of Darkness, and it's depressing."

Xemnas chuckled before he suddenly vanished. Sora knew what was coming. He quickly cast a Reflect spell on himself, just as Xemnas reappeared to circle around him and leave beams of light in his wake. The bubble of light solidifed around Sora just in time for Xemnas to shoot the beams inward with a roar of, "Fire!"

The Reflect bubble absorbed the blow and left Sora unharmed. When it collapsed, it sent the destructive force of the attack harmlessly outwards.

"Can you hold on to that small speck of light?" Xemnas's voice rang in Sora's ear before he appeared in front of him, swords in mid-swing. The keybearer rolled away from the first strike, but ended up in the path Xemnas's follow-up swing. Sora blocked the diagonal strike and recoiled back. The illusion gave chase by spinning around, swords pointed outwards to strike Sora multiple times.

Sora shielded himself with his Kingdom Key and blocked the spinning attack, but barely. When Xemnas vanished again, Sora's arms dropped heavily. He shifted his weight to turn around, but a firm grip on his collar caught him off guard. "Gah!"

"We can go together." Xemnas spun Sora around, preparing to throw him into the air. The toss was powerful, strong enough to send Sora more than six-stories skyward.

His mind spun, and all Sora could hear was the rush of wind going past his ears. When his ascent slowed enough, the keybearer felt the sensation of floating in mid-air. After what felt like ages of being a jumbled mess, Sora's mind regained its composure. He readied himself to dodge the barrage of vines he knew Xemnas was going to throw at him...

... but the attack never came.

Sora waved his arms in the air and turned. He expected the feeling of plummeting to the hard concrete...

... but the fall never came.

"What the—" Sora looked down at Xemnas, and blinked at the scene below him. The illusion of his latest foe was frozen in place, hand raised ready to send his vines spiraling up to skewer him. "What going on?" Sora blinked again, as gravity slowly started to pull him down.

Slowly, he fell towards the concrete, head pointed down and arms slowly flailing. His blue eyes widened when the concrete suddenly changed color. What was once dark grey pavement was now orange and purple, like a twilight sky. The sensation was all too familiar. It was like the dream that had started his journey, the strange dream that would lead him to the Dive Into the Heart.

Back in the Mysterious Tower, the two observers of the Mark of Mastery were alarmed. Mickey was the first to react, pointing the sphere of light that showed Sora's journey. "Something's wrong Master Yin Sid!"

The aged sorcerer stood up from his chair and used his magic to try and sense what was wrong. This was not part of the test.

"And just when Sora was about to kick Xemnas's butt too." Mickey looked at his master for an answer. His questioning expression turned into dread upon seeing Yen Sid's pale face. "Master?"

Yen Sid wiped his brow with a withered hand and sat down heavily in his chair. "It is not possible." He moved his hands to hover them around the sphere showing Sora's slow descent. Closing his large eyes, he focused and opened his senses.

The keybearing mouse at his side leaned in expectantly. "What do you sense Master?"

"An ancient presence." Yen Sid answered with a low voice. He looked at the sphere with a piercing gaze, as if it was the only thing in the entire universe that needed his attention. "A fragment of the sky bids him forth."

"Fragment," Mickey tilted his head, "of the sky?" He contemplated these words and looked to Sora again. It took only a moment for him to draw his own conclusion. "You mean—?" He looked to his old master for confirmation.

Yen Sid's only answer was a nod.

Falling somewhere between the illusion of Traverse Town and some mysterious place unfamiliar to him, Sora could only wait and follow the pull of his heart. He was no longer in the town perpetually cast in the shadows of night, but was instead in place forever in twilight. He first suspected Twilight Town as his new destination, until he felt the scorching heat on his face.

His slow descent, as soon as he felt the heat, became a fast plummet. Before his mind could process his renewed connection to gravity, Sora had a face full of dirt.

Slowly lifting himself onto all fours, Sora groaned. The fall wasn't high, but it was enough to leave him with sand up his nose and a throbbing forehead. "Now where am I?" He opened his eyes and immediately felt the sting of suddenly being in a well-lit place.

When the sting faded and his eyes adjusted to the light, Sora took in his new surroundings. His guess from before was completely correct, this place was foreign to him. In all of his travels, he'd never seen so many keyblades in one place.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 02: Skies of Chaos and Cosmos**

Being left behind by your two best friends was a feeling Kairi was hoping to never feel again. However, she was faced with it once King Mickey came to Destiny Islands to whisk Riku and Sora away on another adventure. This time to prove they were true masters of the Keyblade. Needless to say, she insisted on coming along.

After arguing with her friends and the King for what must have been an hour, Kairi finally convinced them to include her in their plans. Her role, however, ended up being different than what she expected.

"Alright Kairi, if you want to help so much, I'll give you a special assignment." She remembered King Mickey pulling her aside when she boarded his Gummi Ship. "On our way to the Mysterious Tower, I'm going to drop you off at Radiant Garden, your old home."

She wasn't too happy about that. "But I want to support Riku and Sora when they're going through their test."

King Mickey had nodded and raised a hand to calm her down. "I know, but this is just as important." He fixed her with a serious gaze before continuing. "It seems some of our friends from Radiant Garden are missing. This is going to be Sora and Riku's first mission after the exam."

"You want me to look for them and start collecting clues." Kairi had caught on to Mickey's idea quickly.

The mouse smiled and nodded, "Exactly. Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, and Merlin are still around, and I'm sure they'll appreciate the extra help."

And that was that. Kairi soon found herself on the world she once called home, looking for the people who had helped her in the past. Leon, Cloud, and Tifa were missing from the city.

At first, Yuffie had the brilliant idea to check the castle supercomputer that housed Sora's friend Tron. The polite program had told them what little he knew, which wasn't beyond a record of some strange energy readings a couple of days ago. Cid copied the data and buried himself in identifying it, leaving only Yuffie, Kairi, and Merlin to continue their search.

The trio's investigations turned up few results for the next few days, but Kairi did get a chance to learn more about the missing members of the Restoration Committee.

Leon, the quiet leader of the group, was indeed a tragic case. He had been a mercenary before Radiant Garden was turned into Hollow Bastion. In fact, he was the leader of a mercenary group serving under Ansem the Wise named SeeD. When digging through his room for any clues, Yuffie uncovered a photo of Leon and a girl with black hair with brown streaks.

Kairi had asked who the woman was, but Yuffie could only tell her that the woman's name was Rinoa. "I honestly didn't know Leon too well before we ended up in Traverse Town." Yuffie had admitted. "I'd only heard rumors and ran into members of his team."

That had taken Kairi by surprise. She'd assumed the entire committee had been good friends for a long time, considering how they got along so well. Thinking about it now, maybe it was necessity that made them all become close.

"So, what happened to her?" Kairi proposed the question hypothetically, but Yuffie answered all the same.

Yuffie's usually cheerful expression had become somber on the subject. "Leon said he failed to protect her when we lost Radiant Garden." She tried to smile, but it came out looking very bittersweet. "I don't even know his real name, because he changed it to that stupid one."

The pair had decided to leave the subject alone and vacated Leon's room in search of Merlin. The old wizard had been assigned with finding Cloud's home. Tifa and Aerith lived together, so her room was already searched. Cloud, however, was a cloud of mystery — pun intended.

When Yuffie and Kairi found Merlin in Cloud's room, they were not shocked to see it had hardly any personal touches at all. The mysterious warrior had always been an enigma, even in the past. Yuffie hardly knew anything about his past, other than he used to be a part of Radiant Garden's army. Somewhere along the line, he met the shadow that constantly haunts him: Sephiroth.

"You don't think Tifa and Cloud ran off together?" Kairi chuckled at the idea, and laughed when she saw Yuffie look up — seriously considering it.

The ninja had shrugged after thinking on the possibility. "I'd be happy if he did. Lord knows how many times Aerith gave him the 'no longer interested' hint. He won't make a move on flower girl because of his buddy Zack, but he won't get it into his thick head that Tifa wants him."

"Zack?" Kairi had questioned.

"He was Cloud's superior in the army, and he's the guy that helped Cloud adjust when he got out." Yuffie sighed and kicked the bed that hardly looked slept in. "The idiot went into depression-mode when Zack vanished when Radiant Garden went down."

"A lot happened when the darkness destroyed this world huh?" Kairi looked up in wonder. She didn't have any memory of the event, but so much seemed to had happened.

Yuffie nodded, "Yeah, but it wasn't all bad." She smiled at the somber princess of light. "We've all become awesome friends because of it."

And at the end of a week, Kairi ended making progress only in learning more about the missing members of the committee. Such little progress had dampened her spirits, but she was determined to prove herself useful. So on her seventh night staying in Merlin's cluttered home, she promised to find something useful the next morning.

Wether it was testament to her skill, or just blind luck, something useful found her that very night. In the darkness of her sleep, Kairi became lost in a dream... or at least she assumed it was.

The back of her eyelids were soon replaced by a chamber of light. The floor that greeted her pink shoes was as white as snow. At the center of the chamber, the floor was semi-transparent, allowing a view of a pulsing sphere of light. The rest of the chamber was filled with pillars of ivory crystal and skinny stalagmite that formed a pale web.

Kairi ventured deeper into the chamber and looked around in awe. Somehow, she felt a familiar warmth in her heart, like the feeling of being home after a long day. "Where am I?" She asked the air and listened to the tight echo.

"That's a difficult question to answer." A soft, melodious voice answered Kairi's question – startling her.

The princess of light turned with start, and gasped at the woman smiling down at her. Levitating just a few inches off the ground was a beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair that curled outward, like small streams of water. A simple white dress was draped over the graceful curves of her body, held in place by carefully placed straps of leather.

"She's so pretty." Kairi's breath caught when she felt a pull on her heart. She hadn't been the one to compliment the woman floating before her. She looked beside her and felt her jaw drop at the sight Namine.

There her Nobody stood, unaware to her own presence. Kairi smiled. Namine was either genuinely oblivious, or too tempted to sketch the unknown beauty to realize.

Her focus renewed, Kairi looked at the amused woman. "Who are you, and where are we?" She reached out and held Namine's hand — snapping her Nobody out of her daze.

Motioning to herself with her dainty hand, the woman introduced herself. "I am called Cosmos, deity of light." When Kairi and Namine gasped in shock, Cosmos just smiled and giggled. "And you two," she pointed to the young girls, "are Kairi and Namine, princess of light."

Kairi laughed nervously and scratched her cheek.

Namine blushed and looked down before bowing quickly.

"As to where we are," Cosmos looked around, "well to be simple, we're at the center of the Realm of Light." Her expression grew somber, "At least, its what's left of this place."

"Wow," Namine looked around once more, "so this is what it looks like."

"So why are we here, with you?" Kairi gave Cosmos a suspicious glance. Something about this "dream" felt very, very real. Maybe Sora wasn't so crazy when he talked about "real dreams" after all.

Cosmos nodded slowly and lightly lowered herself to the ground. Her pale, naked feet fell upon the chamber's floor like a feather. She slowly stepped towards the two girls, her eyes cast heavenwards. "You look for your missing friends." She looked down from the white sky with a knowing smile. "I've called you here to tell you I've borrowed them for a little while."

"Borrowed them?" Namine repeated. "Borrowed them for what?" Her eyebrows scrunched together in a look of concern. Anyone who needed to borrow warriors like Leon and Cloud was obviously in dire straights.

A look of apprehension passed over the goddess's smooth face. Coming to a decision, she waved her hand. A flash of light summoned a large display to form in the void of light. Within the window, the two girls saw a massive battle raging a realm unknown to them.

Namine stared, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, as she saw warriors fiercely struggling to gain supremacy over one another. "What is this?" Her question hovered in the air until she saw a familiar face appear on the projection.

"Is that," Kairi squinted her eyes and tilted her head. She watched attentively, as a young man in black ran across the battlefield, a sword with the handle of a gun in his hands. The strange weapon immediately registered with Kairi, and her blue eyes widened in recognition. "That's Leon!"

The scene changed once more when Leon clashed with a mysterious foe in dark armor. This time, it showed a young woman weaving between bolts of red energy, closing in on a foe that levitated in the air. "Tifa!" Namine searched the scene once more before finally spotting their third missing friend. "There, there's Cloud!"

Kairi turned on her heel to look at Cosmos. "What is this?"

The blonde goddess slowly nodded her head, but quickly explained herself when Kairi's gaze grew accusing. "I summoned your friends from their world to aid in my struggle against the forces of Chaos."

"Chaos?"

"Yes," Cosmos placed a hand over her heart and looked down with a somber expression. "He is my opposite, a deity of destruction and mayhem. He uses his vast powers over the darkness to bring the universe ever closer to annihilation."

Kairi looked back at the scene of her friends fighting. "So you called them to help you fight the darkness." The princess turned to look at Cosmos once more, only to see the goddess kneeling on the floor. "Cosmos!" Alarmed, she rushed over to the goddess and went to help her up.

"I am sorry." Cosmos managed to say breathlessly. Her skin suddenly looked even more pale than before, and her eyes showed great exhaustion. "My power wanes, but what little I have, I give to you."

"Wait, what do you mean? What's wrong?" Kairi looked up to her Nobody for help. Namine simply walked over to Cosmos's side and held her hand. "Namine?"

"Cosmos," the blonde witch called, "you called us to help you somehow, didn't you."

The goddess of light nodded and offered the girls an apologetic smile. "I did, and I'm afraid I do not have much time." She motioned to the chamber around them. "Long ago, this room gave me more power than I needed, but after such a long time of being inactive, my power is fading."

Kairi nodded and grasped Cosmos's other hand. She didn't quite understand what the goddess was talking about, but she wasn't going to abandon someone in need. "What do you want us to do?"

"I await one who will renew this place." She tightened her hold on Kairi and Namine's hands. "Until that time, I entrust the rest of the fight to the both of you."

Namine nervously glanced to the scene of Cosmos's warriors battling fiercely with the forces of Chaos. "You don't mean _that_ fight, do you?"

"This struggle is almost over." Cosmos gasped for air when she felt a wave of weakness hit her. "Soon, the warriors will be sent back from wince they came. From that point on, a new battle will begin." Her eyes looked skywards, filled with anxiety and longing. "One will use the power of Chaos to forever snuff out the light."

Cosmos looked to Kairi and Namine with sharp eyes. Her voice low and strong, she said, "I can only offer but a little of my aid, and I entrust what little I can give to both of you."

"Leave it to us Cosmos." Kairi met Cosmos's gaze with determination in her eyes. She looked over to Namine, and smiled when she saw the same look of determination in her Nobody's eyes.

Namine simply nodded in agreement.

The goddess of light smiled, all signs of her grief gone. With the lightest of voice, she whispered a thanks to the young women at her side. A flood of intense light soon followed, and a warm ball formed in Kairi's chest, where her heart thumped steadily. And just like that...

She woke up

[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]

A sea of keyblades and a sun that made his skin feel prickles of heat were the first to greet his senses. A dusty wind blew through his hair and left a thin coat of sand on his black hoodie and shorts bound by yellow belts. The feeling reminded him of Agrabbah, minus the decor.

However, this didn't change the fact that Sora had no clue where he was. Was this a part of the test? Had fate played yet another game with him? Either way was fine, he just wanted answers.

"What now?" He ran a hand through his gravity defying hair and stood up from his place on the ground. Looking about him in utter confusion, Sora saw that he stood in the middle of a path that led to a crossroad. Outside of the four paths (including the one on which he stood), was the sea of Keyblades that he found so odd.

"Where am I?" Sora carefully stepped forward and instantly felt a familiar pulse shoot through his body and ring in his heart. The feeling was exactly the same, the same as the Dive Into the Heart.

_It's been a long time Sora_

The wielder of the key whirled around to find the source of the voice, but found nobody. "It's you again." He spoke to the disembodied voice that guided him to the Keyblade.

_I'm glad you remember me. Now, does a part of you remember this place?_

"How could I?" Sora put his hands on his hips and looked up at the dusky sky. "I've never been here before." His body went rigid, as another pulse coursed through him. "I've never... been here." He repeated slowly.

_Don't rush, you have plenty of time to remember_

Sora was grateful for that. It was the strangest feeling though. He was positive he'd never physically been to this place, but something in his heart recognized it. Knowing how things usually happen to him, he figured the answer could be any number of things.

_Let's see, if I remember correctly, you chose the path of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends and a shield to repel all. It's proven to be a fine choice so far. I commend you._

"So you've been watching me?" Sora walked deeper into the field of lifeless keys, growing ever closer to the center.

_I watch all who have taken up the key. You, Roxas, Riku, Kairi, Mickey, and many more._

"For a good reason, right?" Sora stopped to look skywards again. He was still unsure of where exactly the voice was coming from, but that wasn't too different.

_I surrendered my right to choose good or evil, light or dark, salvation or destruction. I simply watch... and wait._

"Wait for what?"

_I'm glad you asked._

A flash of light flooded Sora's vision. It slowly faded, revealing a landscape unchanged. However, he was no longer alone in the sandy wasteland.

At the heart of the crossroad, a figure draped in dark clothes stood. It clothes were worn and coated with a layer of rust-colored sand. The hood of the figure's cloak was up, masking its face in deep shadow. Only the glow of two, yellow eyes cut through the shadows in a way that reminded Sora of his friend Vivi from Twilight Town.

Sora summoned his Kingdom Key and crouched into a ready stance. "Who're you!"

_I am the Keeper of the Key, Sora. And you are the one I have been waiting for._

"That voice." Sora recognized it instantly. "So this is what you look like?" He tilted his head and laughed a little. "Not exa-ctly what I was expecting." He relaxed his stance.

_After all this time, do you still expect only the expected?_

"Good point."

_Now, Sora, show me how deep you have dived into your heart. _

Sora was taken back at the challenge, but he didn't have time to ask for an explanation. He raised his Keyblade just in time to block a downwards strike from the hooded Keeper. His eyes widened when he saw a Keyblade in the Keeper's hand.

_Show me if you are the sky that can reunite the shattered Realm of Light._

The Keeper flipped backwards and drove his gloved hand into the red earth. A Quake spell pulsed through his palm and made the ground shake violently. Sora struggled to stay upright, but stumbled when the ground shot up into the sky.

To his amazement, the ground on which they stood had risen at least five stories into the air. Their new battleground was a square plateau that stood amidst a field of disheveled Keyblades.

"Whoa." Sora gaped at the destructive force of the Keeper's Quake spell and silently hoped he wouldn't show him again. The spiky-haired keybearer stood up once more and readied himself for the continuation of their struggle. He wasn't sure what the Keeper meant by "being the sky", but he was going to show him that his victories over the darkness so far were not a flukes.

Both warriors closed their distance in a blur of color. The Keeper simply stepped smoothly into place, while Sora tried to use his Quick Run to momentarily vanish. Sora's ability did just what he wanted and put him in a better position to attack, but the Keeper foiled his attempt for a low hit with a parry of his key.

"Take this!" Sora Dodge Rolled around the Keeper and jumped up for a descending slash. Again, he was parried and shoved back with a wave of the Keeper's key.

Now Sora was frustrated. He didn't even recognize the Keyblade his opponent was using, but it didn't look like it was made for attacking. The handle was a solid cylinder of silver in a square hand-guard. The shaft was thin and caked with old dirt. The key's teeth looked like three, simple daggers that jutted straight out of its opposing end.

As if sensing Sora analyzing his Keyblade, the Keeper threw it aside for it to vanish in a flash of light. He held his empty hand up to the sky and summoned another key, this one much bigger than his other one. The heavier Keyblade dropped to the ground heavily, as the Keeper assumed a stance that held it slightly behind him.

"Try this!" Sora jumped into the air and raised his Kingdom Key. "Thunder!" A thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky to strike the Keeper of the Keys.

The cloaked keybearer hoisted the key into the air just in time to block the spell. However, this left him open for Sora to attack.

Coming in with a horizontal slash, Sora landed a blow on the Keeper's torso, jerking him sideways. A combination of another horizontal slash and an upward swing gave Sora the chance to release an Explosion.

The Keeper took the full blow from the sphere of explosive might and was sent flying to the opposite end of their high-rise battleground. He staggered before falling to one knee, like a puppet who just lost its strength.

"Had enough?" Sora took an assertive step forward, daring the Keeper to stand. However, what met his ears wasn't a surrender to his skill, but light chuckling.

The hooded keybearer was laughing — hard. In moments, his laughter was enough to rock his body, and force him to look upwards to the heavens. His hood fell back off of his head, allowing his face to be bathed in the light of the sunset horizons. "Hahaha," he calmed his breathing, "too good, that was beautiful!"

Sora raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Did I hit him too hard?"

"I gotta say Sora," he looked to the confused young man, "it takes some serious skill to have woken me up from that husk of a form."

Despite the strangeness of this development, Sora grinned. "Woke up huh," he assumed his stance again, "sorry to ruin your beauty sleep."

"Hah," the Keeper laughed and summoned a new Keyblade, "you better be sorry, 'cause now the real fight begins." He assumed a stance Sora had never seen before and smirked. "Pay attention Sora, time for your first lesson: Stance of the Heart."

[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]

"I. said. SUBMIT!" The darkness shuttered at the roar of a man draped in the torn remains of a Cloak of Darkness. He staggered through the shadows, walking an unknown path deep into the womb of the Dark Realm.

Mind scrambled with flashes of memories both his own and of his other, he struggled to find his way to a place he did not know. Deep within, his heart was fighting a battle he could not understand in his haze of being. Every fiber of his heart screamed for something, beckoned him to fulfill a destiny he could not recall.

And then, he was still.

The tempest in his heart calmed, and his struggle to remember himself ended. He lowered his hood to reveal a head of white, spiky hair and lightly tan skin. Like a snake, a smirk gave a curve to his lip as he looked deep into the darkness.

"You lose Terra." His voice, deep and gravely, purred in triumph. His smirk was quickly replaced with a scowl, and his eyebrows crashed together in strain. "Now," a golden glow outlined his body, "_begone_!" The golden light gathered into a small ball, and floated off into the shadows.

"Hmph," the white-haired man snorted and smiled anew, "good luck escaping the Heartless, boy." Easily brushing the thought of the ball into oblivion, he looked ever onwards into the Realm of Darkness. "Finally, I can move on to the better part of my plan." His eyelids lowered in momentary annoyance before he resumed his journey into the darkness.

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[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]


	4. The Mastery

**Chapter 03: The Mastery**

Deeper, and deeper he traveled. For days— maybe weeks— he kept his steady pace into the darkest, coldest depths of the dreary darkness. He walked past the ruins of dead worlds, the festering birthing grounds of Heartless, and nameless abysses that seemed to stretch for eternity. To even the most determined heart, it was a seemingly endless, hopeless path into oblivion.

But he knew better. He _felt_ himself growing ever closer.

Or perhaps he was already there?

Either way, with every step he took, he felt the cold pulse of the ultimate darkness. When the pulse grew strong, and the darkness thick, he finally stopped. A smirk of satisfaction slowly formed on his lips, and his golden eyes ascended to peer into the swirling mass of purple and black. He'd finally arrived.

"A beautiful sight indeed." His deep voice rang throaty and deep in the empty darkness. He focused his powers of darkness towards the swirling mass above, and watched a winding staircase formed before him — one step at a time.

Thanking his genius for acquiring a younger body, he ascended the steps towards his final destination. "A world that will exist as long as the Heartless, and the eternal accumulation of every world swallowed up by the darkness." His monologue served as his entertainment, as he grew ever closer to the vast mass of dark energy.

Finally, he stepped onto the glassy surface of a vast vortex with a satisfying click of his boot. He smiled with absolute admiration as the field of blue clouds that swirled into a hungry black-hole below his feet.

He ventured towards the center of the vortex, weaving around floating bits of mountain rock to arrive above the eye of the black-hole. At its center, a short flight of stairs led up to a grand throne big enough to seat a being twice his size. "Soon," he muttered to himself, "I can sense the battle's end."

So, he waited at the End of the World.

[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]

The sharp sound of Keyblade meeting Keyblade filled the dusky badlands that acted as home to the Keyblade Graveyard. Atop the plateau created for their battle, Sora continued to struggle against the renewed Keeper of the Keys.

"Defend!" Sora formed a protective bubble of glass-like magic to shield himself from the relentless strokes of his foe.

The Keeper struck the bubble once and flipped back, avoiding the recoil upon the spell's collapse. "Using a Reflect spell to give yourself some distance." The Keeper smirked and assumed the same Stance of the Heart as before. "At least you're confident in the basics."

"Just who are you?" Sora gasped for air, exhausted from trying to keep up with the knee-jerk speed of the Keeper. His movements before had been calculated, but moderately slow. Now, Sora could barely keep him in his sight.

Keyblade held horizontally with both hands, the Keeper shrugged. "I actually don't remember, but if we keep this up, I think it'll only be a matter of time." He freed one hand of his key and held his weapon low while pointing it towards Sora. His empty hand hovered over the Keyblade, open-palmed. "Haste Stance."

"I hope this works." Sora raised his hand and summoned Oathkeeper. He assumed his Valor Form's stance and readied himself.

"Two Keyblades," the Keeper smirked, "at least you're thinking!" He charged Sora at an inhuman speed. He drove his key forward in a thrust. Sora sidestepped the attack and went to retaliate with a swing of his Kingdom Key. However, the Keeper's empty palm stopped Sora's swing by palm-striking his wrist.

Sora flinched in surprise, and tried to recover by turning to swing his Oathkeeper. The sharp sound of his key hitting another metal object pierced the air, and Sora knew he had been parried. "Fire!" He instinctively summoned wisps of powerful flames to encircle him, hoping to push the Keeper away by damaging him.

The strategy worked, but the Keeper's newfound speed let him escape harm. As if phasing backwards ten paces, the Keeper disappeared and reappeared in the same crouched position he identified as the Haste Stance.

"Kalani." The Keeper stood up, breaking his stance to gaze up in realization.

Having long given up on fully understanding, Sora waited for his enemy to make a move.

The Keeper of the Keys chuckled and looked down to meet Sora's eyes. "I just remembered my name is Kalani." He gave Sora a large grin and sent his Keyblade away with a flash of light.

Suspicious, Sora relaxed, but kept his Keyblades in hand.

The Keeper, now identified as Kalani, raised his empty hands and continued to grin. "No tricks Sora, we're done fighting." He stretched his long limbs to the sky and scratched his hands through his short hair. "Now that I actually remember more, wanna repeat some of those questions you asked me?"

Honestly, Sora didn't know where to start. Between finally putting a face to the voice that helped him in the Dive Into the Heart and fighting who is now the strongest keybearer he'd ever met, he had a hard time picking which to ask first. Through his scrambled mess of thoughts, he managed to ask, "What was all that about?"

Kalani's grin grew to reach his pierced ears. "This was the final test of your own, personal Mark of Mastery." He flicked his wrist and sent a small spray of sparks into the air above his index finger. "Congratulations, you pass!"

Sora's jaw fell open and his shoulders sagged. His Keyblades vanished, leaving him to gape at the man who had been aiming to take his head off moments ago. "Huuuuuuh?"

"You are now officially a Keyblade Master, certified and proven."

"So," Sora glanced around, "is that it?"

Kalani scratched his cheek and laughed awkwardly. "Well, no. As a master, you are now privileged to certain secrets and stuff, but I'll leave that to whoever set up the test for you in the first place." He clapped his hands and walked around Sora, "What I'm going to tell you, is that you, my friend, are not just _any_ old Keyblade Master."

"There are different kinds?" Sora yelled in disbelief and groaned. "Why do people always wait to tell me all the details?" He shook his head and looked back at Kalani, "So what kind am I?"

"You're the Keyblade Master to inherit _my_ Mark." Before Sora could react, Kalani poked him in the chest, injecting a brief flash of golden light into Sora's heart.

The young keybearer stumbled about, suddenly feeling his body go weak. He muttered incoherently, as he began to lose consciousness while still on his feet.

"And remember Sora," Kalani's voice cut through the haze of his consciousness, "you are the one who will open the door." With those words echoing in his head, Sora's vision was covered with black.

[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]

"I see I have an uninvited guest before me." A deep voice boomed with aggravation, like the low growl of a frustrated tiger.

Golden eyes opened, as their owner awakened from his deep well of thought. He met the steady gaze of the being seated on the throne and smirked. "Ah, I see you have returned Chaos."

The demon deity named Chaos snarled. He sat slumped in the grand seat of power. His horned head was propped against his large fist, lips curled around curled tusks. His eyes, red as blood, glared down upon the human who dared stand before him with such confidence. "And who are you to address me so? _Human_." He spat.

"Of course, I forgot that I no longer bear the same appearance since last we met." He bowed before Chaos and answered, "I am your old friend, Xehanort."

Chaos snorted, but his shoulders relaxed to show he was less on the verge of lashing out. "Yes, the old Keyblade Master who consulted with me many years ago." He paused to examine Xehanort's younger body and clearly different face. "I see you used your Keyblade's abilities expertly."

"Indeed," Xehanort clenched his fist in front of his face, "this body was a fine choice. Compatible with the darkness, and capable of holding great power."

"Right." Chaos agreed, though with far less interest than Xehanort. "To what do I owe your ill-timed visit, Xehanort?" His large, demonic wings flinched before settling in behind his broad shoulders.

"I came to call upon your gracious aid in my plans." The renewed keybearer of darkness examined his fingers absently. He hardly noticed the low growl from the deity of destruction.

"Your timing is deplorable."

Xehanort chuckled. "Oh, I am fully aware that you just suffered another defeat at the hands of Cosmos's wisely chosen warriors." His voice danced through the dark End of the World like silk. "What I offer, is a way to take advantage of her weakened state, instead of waiting for the next contest to occur."

Chaos lifted his head from leaning against his fist. He said nothing, but he was clearly interested.

"Kingdom Hearts." Xehanort proposed to Chaos. "By forging the x-blade, we can use Kingdom Hearts to forever exalt the darkness above the light." His smirk coiled and grew when he saw Chaos considering it.

"And," the giant deity spoke low, "what would you have me do in this... scheme?" His red eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Xehanort chuckled and looked up. "I seem to recall trying to use the residents of various worlds to further my goals. However," his smirk grew bitter, "that ended in failure." Xehanort's golden eyes flicked down to meet Chaos's piercing gaze. "I simply seek a more... _capable_ pool of allies from your reserve."

"And what makes you think that my warriors, who just proved incapable of being victorious over Cosmos's forces, will serve you any better?" Chaos leaned back in his throne.

"Please." Xehanort had to suppress a laugh. "Narrow-minded sorceresses hellbent on foolishly controlling the Heartless may be well within the boy-keybearer's means." He ran a hand through his white spikes, "But even the weakest of your numbers will prove too much for him and his poor excuse for allies."

Chaos mulled this proposal over carefully. He could not deny Xehanort's evaluation. "Very well, I shall lend you aid from among my numbers." The deity waved his hand. "It is done."

"Very good." Xehanort smirked.

"But be warned," Chaos interrupted Xehanort's internal satisfaction, "not many of my warriors are easily controlled." He spotted a look of annoyance pass over Xehanort's face. "Instead, I will tell of where to find more... loyal aid."

The Keyblade Master of Darkness raised his eyebrow at Chaos's words. "I am listening."

Chaos waved his hand again, forming a Corridor of Darkness. "Travel deeper into the Dark Realm. Linger long enough, and they will find you. They have long haunted the deepest corner of this realm. You'll need to do much to coax them into stepping into the light once more."

"Oh? And what makes these hermits of the darkness of any use to me?" Xehanort raised an eyebrow, voice dripping with curiosity.

The deity of destruction laughed thunderously. "All I need to say is that the Heartless do not dare go near them." He returned into a more relaxed position on his throne, as Xehanort neared the corridor, "Be careful my friend."

Xehanort paused.

"The ones you now seek are very... _fond_ of hearts." Chaos laughed once more. His booming laughter followed Xehanort through the corridor, and echoed as he found himself back in the lifeless shadow of the dark realm.

Or at least... he assumed it was lifeless.

[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]

"Hey look, he's waking up!"

"It's about time, geez can Kairi call it."

"Gwarsh, I thought he was gonna be out for another few days."

"Not after three shots of potions."

Sora slowly awakened from the darkness of unconsciousness, his head throbbing at the voices that hovered over him. He rolled his eyes from one side the other, trying to wipe away their sting with the back of his eyelids. "Ugh," he groaned.

"Hey, wake up already you bum." A voice that could only belong to his best friend, Riku, teased from above.

"Stop yelling." Sora whined and sat up into a sitting position. Head throbbing, he looked around drowsily to find out where he was now. To his relief and confusion, he was sitting in the middle of Yen Sid's study in the Mysterious Tower.

A bellflower filled with a healing light dumped its power over Sora, courtesy of his feathered friend standing at his side. "Thea, how doesh that feel?" His lisp made his question difficult to decipher, but Sora was long used to translating "Donald-speak" into some form of english.

Offering his friend an appreciative grin, Sora hopped to his feet and stretched. "Lots better." He swung his arm around the duck's neck and started rubbing his knuckles into his head. "Thanks Donald."

Said royal mage wrestled out of Sora's hold and quacked in indignation. He started chasing the newly awakened islander, threatening him with Thunder spells.

All the while, Riku, Goofy, and King Mickey laughed at the scene. Yen Sid, ever the calm sorcerer, allowed a ghost of an amused smile. With a wave of his bony hand, a magical force separated Sora from Donald and called for the attention of his guests.

"Riku," Yen Sid called, "please step forward." The silver-haired keybearer obediently stepped forward. It was the moment of truth. "Your trial is complete." He saw Riku's posture grow stiff with anxiety. "You have shown great power while wielding the Keyblade, wit and attentiveness when dealing with the denizens of the dark, and displayed control over the darkness that sleeps in your heart."

Mickey smiled towards the young man, agreeing with every word.

"Congratulations Riku," Yen Sid smiled, "you have proven yourself worthy to bear the Mark of Mastery."

A look of relief passed over Riku's expression. His shoulders fell, liberated of the tension that had paralyzed his body. "Nice." He chuckled when he felt Mickey hug him in excitement. "It was no big deal."

Sora rolled his eyes. "Uhuh, always trying to be the cool guy." Everyone took the opportunity to congratulate Riku, with Sora being the last to knock fists with his island buddy.

After the laughter subsided, silence hung in the air of the Mysterious Tower. Yen Sid nodded his head and leaned back in his seat. Minutes ticked by, and nothing happened.

"Um... Master?" Mickey finally questioned.

"Yes?" Yen Sid looked down at the mouse, oblivious to whatever could be wrong.

Goofy scratched the back of his head. "Gwarsh, aren't you forgettin' somethin' Master Yen Sid?" He tried to subtly point to Sora... who was pointing to himself with an expectant grin.

The aged sorcerer looked at Sora... and stared. Like a puppy waiting to be fed, Sora just stared back with big eyes and an equally large smile. "I'm afraid I do not follow." Yen Sid looked to Mickey for clarification.

"Master, did Sora pass _his_ trial?" Mickey nudged his head towards Sora, insisting his old teacher to give Sora what he wants.

Yen Sid looked at Sora and squinted his normally bugged-out eyes. "But you already received your answer." He stroked his gray beard, "If anything, you should tell us, Sora."

Sora stared at the sorcerer, jaw slack and eyes gleaming with disbelief. "Wait." His hands shot up to bury themselves in his spiky, brown hair. "All that was for real!"

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End file.
